Port of Oakland begins project to raise height of four cranes

Work has begun at the Port of Oakland to heighten four massive ship-to-shore cranes. The Port said that the 366-foot giants will be raised 27-feet in a 9-month project.

The cranes are used to load and unload container vessels. The Port said taller cranes will be better able to reach containers stacked high above decks on modern-day megaships.

The Port said it’s raising the cranes at Oakland International Container Terminal (OICT) in partnership with SSA Marine, the terminal operator. Cost of the project is estimated at about $14 million.

The Port said that crane-raising is part of an overall effort to strengthen Oakland’s competitiveness among West Coast ports. Other projects underway or expected to begin soon include:

Doubling the size of nearby TraPac marine terminal; Constructing a 287,000-square foot Cool Port for refrigerated cargo transport; and Developing the first 27 acres of a Seaport Logistics Complex that will attract additional imports and exports.

Technicians began the exacting work of crane-raising last week, pulling the first 3-million-pound unit off its guide rails. In a delicate, 90-minute procedure, it was shuttled to the eastern edge of OICT’s Oakland Estuary dock. That’s where the work will take place beginning next month.

Over a 9-week period, engineers will brace the crane on supports, cut away its lower legs and affix extensions. They’ll return the heightened crane to duty before withdrawing the next one for raising, probably in August.

About the Port of Oakland:The Port of Oakland oversees the Oakland seaport, Oakland International Airport, and 20 miles of waterfront. Together with its business partners, the Port supports more than 73,000 jobs in the region and nearly 827,000 jobs across the United States.

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